How to Buy Lederhosen

Monthly Inspiration: How to Buy Lederhosen   Last year during the Oktoberfest season, I posted an article called, "How to Buy a Dirndl."  You know, the female garb traditionally worn in Bavaria? Well I noticed that this time of year, being so close to Oktoberfest, that this article is currently my most popular post...ever.  Wow! I also had a lot of emails asking me to do a post about Lederhosen, or the male counterpart to a dirndl.  So here you go!   I've been to two Oktoberfests so far and will be going to another one this year.  But Oktoberfest isn't the only time that Bavarians wear their trachten (traditional garb).  There are summer festivals, fall festivals, beer festivals, music festivals, you name it.  You can wear trachten at all of them.  Today I'm going to show you the different kinds of lederhosen you or your significant other can buy.  In my case, I was helping B shop for his lederhosen and there are actually a lot more styles than you think.     Lederhosen literally means leather pants, but the pants aren't the only part of the outfit.  You have your pants, dress shirt, sock, shoes, and sometimes a hat and jacket.  You can get as fancy as you want here folks.   The Pants

Traditional lederhosen are made of leather.  So right off the bat, they are going to be expensive.  The great thing about the lederhosen is that leather keeps its appearance of looking clean and peasants would be able to wear them over and over without washing.   The main styles I have noticed are the suspenders that make the shape of an M on the front or suspenders that simply have one piece of fabric crossing in between.  I prefer the latter.  You can also wear them without the suspenders, essentially just leather shorts.  They come in three different lengths; short, long, and just below the knee.  I don't see a lot of long ones and I definitely prefer the ones below the knee.  To me, the short ones look hilarious on adults. The colors in leather can also vary from tan to black and I prefer darker colored leather.   The Shirts

The shirts are often plaid or plain.  I actually love flannels so pairing them with the lederhosen is such a great look.  There are so many different color combinations to choose from and probably the best way to choose is by coordinating with your significant other's dirndl.   The Socks

During the warmer months you'll want to pair some wool socks with the lederhosen.  You find them rolled down, short, long, or even this style in the middle. I actually like the longer look, but either way the socks are a big part of the overall aesthetic.
The Shoes

You'll need to finish off the look with a nice pair of leather shoes.  There is a traditional style but that doesn't mean you have to go out and buy them.  Any nice looking pair of leather shoes will do.  B made the mistake of wearing skateboarding shoes with his the first year and trust me, it doesn't look good.  If anything, stick with a black or brown color.
The Extras

All images via bavaria-lederhosen.com

Now that you have all the basics you are all set to go to Oktoberfest or any other fest in Bavaria.  But there are some extras that you can add if you are so inclined.  There are jackets, sweaters, hats, vests, belts, and so on.  All of these extras just help to make the outfit more fancy.  But wearing the basics is fine too.  The funnest part is finding what you like to come up with your unique outfit! I think the best way to find your set is by going to an actual store and my favorites are Moser and Pollinger.

So what other countries can you see Lederhosen?  Austria, Switzerland, and parts of Northern Italy.  Ever wonder why Pinocchio wears lederhosen?  It may be because of a mashup of regions and cultures that they decided to dress an Italian character in traditional Bavarian garb.   Here's to hoping that your trachten shopping is made a little easier and if you're not going to Oktoberfest or a fest at all this year, hopefully you found this information interesting.  This year,  Oktoberfest runs from September 20 through 5 October. If you are looking for more information on the subject of Oktoberfest I have some more posts coming over the next few weeks and you can also check out some of my older posts below:
How to Buy a Dirndl | Oktoberfest | Oktoberfest Through Instagram  
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